Is there a way to mix used motor oil with a thinner to produce a cheap wood stain? I slab my own wood for free and now have to pay over $50.00 a gallon for wood stain. Thank you, Joe Lallande Alpena, MI.

Used motor oil (gas engine) has a TON of heavy metals and other toxic contaminants from all the fuel burned and such. Perhaps diesel used oil would be better. I used to undercoat my cars w/ used until I was enlightened by a friend.

Ironwood

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back in the 40s the school i attended would use motor oil to treat the wood floods they would put it on when school let out in the spring and by fall it would be soaked in , i use it to treat my wood wagon and trailer floors , also used transmission fluid is good to treat wood flooring it to will leave a light black stain please dont mention to uncle sam ,he would rather see me pay 20 dollars a gallon at local box store to help the ecomy

I've wondered about treating wood with used motor oil mixed with a bit of gas to help it penetrate, this would be just for rot resistance, (nothing like a deck, just posts, bridge etc...) because I'm having a hard time finding pressure treated trees to mill. Maybe I'll try a 2X6 and see how it works.

We always called it Maine stain.Most of the commercial stains are mineral spirits and coloring, can't get the good stuff anymore.It work but better if not close to folks, children and pets.You can even get fancy and add coloring and thin a little with diesel.Frank C.

Since you already mentioned a thinner, just mix non-fibered roofing tar with the thinner to get the desired tint. I used to use this on craft projects and it worked really well. Stat with a small amount of roofing and continue to add until it gets to where you like it.

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Sprayed a building of mine once with a motorized back spray mist blower, mixed burnt motor oil and kerosine. It was in the hot summer months the boards soaked it up like a sponge. Looked good and the carpenter bees stayed away. Didn't take very long with a mist blower. I guess a garden spray could be used. Splitter

I'll have to try that, woodmills1. The house is in need of another coat of Uncle Larry's stain. It was easy when the siding was lying on sawhorses, and I could just roll it on with a paint roller Problem is, it's so thin that it wouldn't work too well now that it's vertical.

For those that haven't seen it before....my white pine siding with Uncle Larry's:

I think you will find that any waste motor oil is considered carcinogenic. Contact with exposed skin etc. should be minimized. I know a guy who used salvaged transformer oil to stain some locally milled pine for a feature wall in his living room, about 25 or 30 years ago. We used to spray bar it on roads and work yards for dust control. Who knew?

The only way to put on any type of stain is with the "garden type sprayer" and a brush to back brush the sprayed on stain. I can do the whole cabin on an hour with someone moving the ladder for me. I use a car wash brush which is nice and soft, the best type of sprayer so far is one with a brass tip on the end of the wand.